1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to animal traps and more particularly to traps for catching small animals.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Small animal traps can be generally divided into two broad classifications: those that kill and mutilate the animal, such as the familiar spring-loaded snap trap; and those that trap the animal alive in an enclosure. The live traps, by design, can be either disposable and/or reusable.
The instant invention is directed to the latter type where the animal is trapped alive and uninjured. Traps of this type are taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,550,523 and 4,578,892.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,523 teaches a rodent trap with a housing having a rectilinear exterior bottom surface with an integral fulcrum positioned at the approximate mid-point of the exterior bottom surface. The location of the fulcrum permits the entire enclosure to assume a downward inclination toward whichever end of the enclosure a trapped animal chooses to occupy. A door member consisting of a surface conforming to the shape of the open end of the enclosure includes two sides, each side pivotly mounted to the enclosure. The surface on which the enclosure rests when having a normal upward inclination absent a rodent therein prevents rotational closure of the door. Whenever the enclosure first assumes a downward inclination by rodent travel, the door rotates to a closed entrance position by gravity acting thereon and maintains that position until manually released.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,892 teaches an animal trap not unlike the teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,523 discussed above. The trap comprises an elongated container having two contiguous bottom surfaces foming an obtuse angle therebetween (an effective fulcrum at their joinder) and a pivotable door for selectively enclosing the container after the animal has entered and traveled to the opposite end thereof. When set, the trap rests on a first of the two bottom surfaces with the door held in a rotated position elevated from the container entrance by the trap underlining support surface to permit an animal to enter the trap. The second of the two bottom surfaces is elevated from the underlying support surface. When the animal enters the container and travels into the now elevated bottom surface, the animal's weight causes the container to rotate about the bottom surface joinder fulcrum in a teeter-totter fashion, lowering the second bottom surface and elevating the first bottom surface releasing the door for gravitational rotation, closing the container entrance and trapping the animal therein.
These two prior art traps are effective for the purpose intended; however, they cannot be utilized to complete success on carpet, grass, sand or other irregular support surfaces. When subjected to this type of irregular surfaces, the door may not positively close and lock and the animal can back out through the entrance. Also, if a large enough animal enters the container, his tail may extend out the opening preventing a positive lock of the rotated door. The animal could, in case of U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,892, impact the door hold open supports, causing the door to rotate closed with the animal still exterior of the container.
There is a continuing need for an animal trap which includes the beneficial features of the prior art and overcomes all of the deficiencies encountered therein.